What is Religion

1
What is Religion?

• That is the question

2
How do you define it?

• There are many ways to define it
• Normative
• Describes what religious adherents ought to do.
  (love)
• Functional
• Describes how religion operates in society or
  human lives. (totem)
• Descriptive
• Describes how religious adherents behave.

3
A Working Definition

• Religion is a human phenomenon in which humans
  seek to understand the nature of the Ultimate
  Reality, act on this understanding and develop
  the potential for human transformation through
  this understanding.

4
Ingredients

• Background
• The Absolute
• The World
• Humans
• Problems for Humans
• Solution for Humans

• Basic Tenets/Major Features
• Major Figures
• Rituals and Symbols
• Holidays
• Aesthetic (art, music, architecture)

5
The Absolute

• What is the religions idea of the Absolute. Is
  the Absolute a deity or an idea/concept?

6
The World

• What is the worldview of the religion? How do
  they view life?

7
Humans

• What are the problems for humanity?
• What are the solutions for humanity?

8
Basic Tenets/Major Features

• What are the basic tenets or major features of
  the religion?

9
Major Figures

• Who are some of the important figures in the
  religion?
• What impact did they have on the world?

10
Rituals, Symbols Holidays

• What is the art of the religion like?
• What are some of the festivals/holidays?

11
Sources

• Slides 5, 6 7 250,000 Designer Clip Art,
  Global Star Software
• Slide 7 http//www.model furniture.com/products/
  wallart/sandpaintings/images/as9001.jpg
• http//subway.com/applications/spotlite/docs/nov0
  3/pics/Taboo20pix.jpg
• Slide 8 http//www.healing-touch.co.uk/manjushr
  .gif
• http//persweb.direct.ca/gknight/images/shiva.jp
  g
• Slide 9 http//acc6.its.brooklyn.cuny.edu/phal
  sall/images/laotzu.jpg
• http//www.therealpresence.org/images/teresa2.jpg
  
• http//www.buddhismus.at/bilder/dalai_lama_gross4
  .jpg

12
Sources

• Slide 10 http//images.google.com/imgres?imgurl
  http//www.islamicarchitecture.org/ia/images/islam
  ic-art.gifimgrefurlhttp//www.islamicarchitectur
  e.org/ia/art/h245w385sz30tbnidHNsKzDoPFngJ
  tbnh75tbnw117start10prev/images3Fq3Disl
  amic2Bart26hl3Den26lr3D26ie3DUTF-826sa3DG
  
• http//images.google.com/imgres?imgurlhttp//www
  .kamat.com/kalranga/art/ephemeral/11585.jpgimgref
  urlhttp//www.kamat.com/kalranga/art/ephemeral/11
  585.htmh524w300sz40tbnidIb76OS6asawJtbnh
  127tbnw73start3prev/images3Fq3Dindia2Bar
  t26hl3Den26lr3D26ie3DUTF-826sa3DG
• http//estabrook.lexingtonma.org/Library/Dec/Kwan
  zaa.jpeg